French Macarons

Food is considered by the French to be one of life's greatest pleasures. Béatrice Peltre celebrates that with her beautiful blog and cookbooks. Her latest cookbook, My French Family Table, focuses on everyday foods that you can share with family and friends. She features healthy and creative meals that use whole grains, spices and vibrantly colorful fruits and vegetables. Bonus? They all happen to be gluten-free, too. These French macarons are no exception. Perfect for a gathering or special occasion...or just because you're craving something chocolate, you'll want to make these again and again.From the Author: "While these macarons are not complicated, they do take some time to prepare. You will feel a deep sense of accomplishment when you master them."

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Mummy's Nutty Saffron Rice

If you're looking for a spectacular side dish, perfect for any dinner, look no further than this delicious Saffron Rice. It's easier to make than you might think...but you don't have to let anyone know that. We saw this dish in Summers Under The Tamarind Tree: Recipes and memories from Pakistan, and knew that we had to get permission from author Sumayya Usmani to share it with everyone.From the Author: " I was never fond of raisins and rice as a child, but as my taste buds matured, I realized that my mother's Persian-influenced recipe is a spectacular yet simple midweek rice dish, a good accompaniment...The saffron is infused in the water that cooks the rice, much like a pulao, and it gives the final dish a rather elegant biryani look."

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Buddha Bowl

This Buddha Bowl from "a modern way to cook" by Anna Jones is chock full of good-for-you things and a rich curry, fragrant with a homemade curry paste and peanuts, all served over over brown basmati rice, then topped with freshly pickled carrots, crispy kale, and toasted seeds. From the Author: “This all comes together in 45 minutes, but you do need to stay on top of a few things at once. The list of ingredients may look long, but I promise this is simple to make. You can also make a double batch of the paste and freeze some.”

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Corned Beef and Caraway Cabbage

Spring is in the air! This is my favorite time of year: Spring training baseball is on the radio, Mother Nature is providing us with some gorgeous sunny days between all the rain, and one of the most fun celebrations on the calendar is right around the corner.That's right, St. Patrick's Day is almost here, and whether your entire family is from the Emerald Isle or you're just Irish at heart, St. Patrick's Day is a great excuse to have some friends over to enjoy a pint or two of Irish stout and some corned beef and cabbage. For our recipe, be sure to brine it for as long as recommended. The salt in the brine carries the flavor of our pickling spices used through the whole piece of meat, and the extra spices reserved for the cooking liquid lend it a great burst of flavor on the surface. This St. Patrick's Day be safe, enjoy some delicious corned beef and remember: "May the lilt of Irish laughter lighten every load. May the mist of Irish magic shorten every road... And may all your friends remember all the favors you are owed!"

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